Forced Decisions
by KingCobra582
Summary: Angela has a choice to make. And whatever her decision will be will change the lives of those she cares about forever.


Forced Decisions  
By King Cobra3 (kingcobra49036@yahoo.com)  
  
Goliath stepped casually as always into the living quarters of Castle Wyvern, where his clan often lounged around. Predictably, Brooklyn was raving over the Metallica live concert on TV while five feet away, Lexington sat facing the computer, currently engaged in a chat room. Hudson sat watching the concert in the recliner, eyes glimmering with boredom and disapproval. Bronx was in the kitchen with Broadway to try out a new recipe the stocky Gargoyle was making. Goliath gazed about everywhere. Where was his daughter?  
"Angela?" Goliath called, his voice full of that deep toned sound of impatience. Angela appeared in the doorway to his left, looking pretty (or not) as ever. "Here I am, Father."   
"Where have you been?" the clan leader rumbled.  
"I thought I would enjoy the chill of the night air, Father. Why? Does something trouble you?" Angela looked genuinely worried, and Goliath had no alternative but to smile in earnest.   
"No, my child. I just questioned your location, that's all." Goliath suddenly smiled again, and decided to switch topics. "How are things with Broadway? I understand you two are close."  
Angela turned several shades of red. "Father!"  
Goliath roared, laughing, and calmed himself quickly. "I am serious. My duty is to take responsibility for my clan and especially for you, my daughter. Now tell me. How are you two getting along?"  
Angela hesitated before responding. She had never talked about things like this with her father. Nor should she. This kind of information, about her and her possible mate, was meant simply for Girl Talk and was usually held in conversations with Elisa. But this time she couldn't go see Elisa about it, because the policewoman was picking up Beth, who was home for summer break from college, at the airport. Nor could Angela not answer Goliath. He was standing there with an almost angrily suspicious glare on his chiseled face.  
"Broadway and I are...getting along fine," she finally answered. "We have talked about becoming official mates before the clan, and raising our own eggs." Goliath nodded, satisfied. "Very well." He brushed past her, apparently heading towards the library. Angela sighed and felt bored. The clan was busy tonight. Too busy to spend time with her at the moment. She sighed again. At least on Avalon she ALWAYS had Gabriel and the other gargoyles to spend time with. But here...  
It was different.   
There was no Gabriel here. Nor Princess Katherine or Tom.  
No one but her father and his clan, and they were distracted right now.  
Maybe she should go for a glide, take her mind off her boredom? It would probably be a big help, and she might something to do, as long as it didn't draw any fatal attention to herself, like that last time she had trusted Demona and ended up feeling used when her mother's plan with Thailog and The Clones went awry.   
Her mother. Demona.  
Hmmm...  
Without being aware of what she was doing until it was too late, Angela flared her wings and headed on the south end of Manhattan, where the major corporations worked heavily, the employees slaving until the early hours of the morning. NightStone Unlimited was closed for the night. She knew that much. But there was always a chance she'd catch the evil half of her parents still working last minute by herself or gliding towards home. NightStone Unlimited had only closed two minutes ago, by Angela's estimates.  
So she could still be there, possibly preparing to lock up shop for the night, but still inside the building. Angela hoped so.   
Knowing too well where her mother's office was, the lavender gargress caught an updraft and sailed towards the upper levels, shooting past windows and swerving to avoid a few annoying geese. She had a destination to reach. If Demona was there, Angela knew she'd be in her office.   
Relaxing her tired wings, Angela settled onto the balcony in front of the sliding office doors. It had a long way up, and her wings were beat. Good thing the office wasn't any higher up. Angela might not have made it.   
"Mother?"  
No answer. The office was dark and dormant.  
Angela flipped on a light switch and the room was bathed in fluorescent glow that made her blink continuously. When she looked around, Angela whistled appreciatively. This office was expensively established. Rich velvet rugs littered the floors, with various paintings on the wall. Looking up, Angela smiled at the Van Gogh painting that had transferred into a skylight. This place was EXQUISITE.  
"Hello?"  
A voice. Her mother's voice. Not tinged with anger or insanity, but with curiosity. Angela hid behind a mahogany desk. When she saw the red haired woman, clad in her usual office attire, Angela nearly fainted. This woman looked so much different then the blue skinned laser gun-toting woman she was at night. Gathering her courage, Angela stood up to see her mother.  
"My daughter? Is that you?'  
"Yes."  
"What are you doing here?"  
Angela shrugged reflexively. "There's nothing for me to do at Wyvern. I thought I'd drop by." She paused. "I thought you were gargoyle at night?" Demona clasped her daughter's shoulders. "I'm glad you wanted to visit. I've been wondering when you'd come around. Why am I still human? Well," Demona showed her daughter the greenish emerald hanging on a necklace from her throat. "As long as I wear this, I'm not a gargoyle. Not even when the sun fades away."  
"But I thought..."  
"That I hated humans? That I wouldn't want to be one at all?" Demona laughed. "You are right, my child. I loathe this body. It is weak and vulnerable compared to my own. However, I have been considering taking back my angry views of the human race."  
"Angela paused. "You mean..."  
"That I no longer despise humanity? You are right. I may still be angered toward them, but no longer will I kill them. My rage would not have lasted forever. It had to come to an end eventually." She faced her daughter. "I did it for you, my dear. I saw how much my bitterness was hurting you. As I've said to you before, I would not hurt you for the world. I meant that. Every word. I've also been considering what it would be like If I could ally with the clan again..."  
"No," Angela responded instantly. "You know Father would never allow that."  
"Then let me speak with him," Demona reacted coolly. "Let him see me, how much I have changed. Let him look into my heart and realize the truth of my words, and know how sincere I am."  
************  
Goliath, sitting in the green chair, looked up from his book as Angela touched down, her feet landing nimbly on the stone floor. He went to give her an affectionate hug but then noticed the look of absolute wonderment on her face. "My daughter, what is it?" Goliath asked. Angela looked up, and smiled. "It is nothing, Father. I'm just tired."  
Goliath nodded. "Yes, the sun is about to rise. Come."  
As the others took their places on the parapets, Angela assumed a fighting stance, looking ferocious. But in the back of her mind, as sleep overtook her, her last thought before turning to stone was "Did Mother mean it?"  
Was Demona truly sincere? Had she been truthful about repenting and wanting to rejoin with her old familiar clan of a thousand years ago? Or was it all a scheme? Some way to gain Angela's trust, and then demolish her loved ones? Angela didn't know for sure.  
But she would find out soon.   
That much was definite.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
So, any questions? Well, your answers can be found here: KingCobra49036@yahoo.com. Until my next fic comes out, I hope you keep reading mine and other people's fics.  
  
Merry Christmas!  
  
King Cobra3. 


End file.
